Take A Chance - A Last Chance Prologue
by PhoenixFieryHope
Summary: A requested prologue of how Nick and Ellis fell in love. Rated M for explicit language and mild violence (No sex, rated M just in case) WARNING: Amateur writer! Still working on my skills. Constructive criticism only, if needed.


_Ellis gazed up at Zoey. "__Man, oh, man, I jumped Jimmy Gibbs's car through a plate glass window, and I just met the prettiest girl I've ever seen." he said dreamily. He then reached out for Nick and said, "Nick, shoot me now, brother. Day's never gonna get any better than this."_

Nick played that scene over and over in his head again. He didn't want to but it just kept coming back to him. Every time he did, his reaction was always the same as the first one; he narrowed his eyes and scoffed quietly. He didn't know why but he felt _jealous. _He somehow hated Zoey. He didn't want to, though, she was a lovely girl but he couldn't help it. He was jealous. Though what and/or who _was _he jealous of? Zoey? Ellis? Lord, he didn't know. It was distracting him from fighting against the infected and the others even noticed.

"Nicolas! I thought you knew how to use a gun," Coach bellowed when Nick shot him once again.

They were at the Motel, looking for things that could be useful. So far, Nick was avoiding Ellis. He didn't know what this feeling was but he just knew that he had to keep away from Ellis as much as possible.

The survivors continued scavenging around the area. As expected, it was mostly empty in the rooms and walls were broken down.

Nick saw a travel-size bottle of lubricant in one of the bathroom cupboards.

_Can't you make a bomb out of this? _he thought to himself. He shrugged and put it in his pocket anyway.

"Nick," Rochelle called out, "let's go!"

As Nick jogged out the door he was grabbed by a Charger. Nick let out a startled yell and then an "Oomph!" as the Charger began pummelling him against the ground.

"Charger, Charger!" Nick yelled.

He heard gunshots and the Charger let go of him, falling onto the ground. Nick dragged himself up, sputtering. He looked up to see Ellis staring at him with concern.

"You okay?" Ellis asked, "Need anythin'?"

Nick felt his face warming up and his heart rate increasing. Why? He didn't know. It just happened. He felt a strange queasy feeling at the pit of his stomach.

"N-No," Nick stammered, "thanks."

Nick didn't look at Ellis when he shuffled past him. Looking at him made him feel worse. He felt slightly sick but in a way that made him want _more_.

_Am I…? _Nick thought to himself. He then shook his head. _No… I'm not. I can't be._

But there was a little thought at the back of his head saying, "Yes, yes you are."

"All right everybody, into the Tunnel of Love!" Coach exclaimed.

The four of them raced into the safe room which led to the Tunnel of Love. Ellis ran backwards to see if any infected were after them.

When they reached the safe room Ellis pushed the door shut and everyone began to barricade the door. When they were finished, they sat down, panting.

"D'you think we should rest here?" Rochelle asked.

"I think we should keep going," Nick said.

Ellis glanced over at Nick who was patting down his messy hair. Ellis wondered why Nick was avoiding him. He hadn't done anything wrong, had he? He was still his sarcastic, cocky self but he wasn't interacting with Ellis. Not even one insult or comment after meeting up with the other four at the bridge.

It then struck Ellis that after swooning over Zoey, Nick became more irritable than usual. But… why? Nick didn't seem to be the type of guy who would end up liking a girl like Zoey. Zoey seemed to be a little too young for Nick. Rochelle and him would have been a better match, actually.

"Well, we better get going," Coach announced after five minutes of tired silence.

The three of them nodded as they stood up and stretched. They switched guns, collected ammo and healed themselves. They exited the safe room with Coach leading the gang, but Nick was last.

"Uh, Nick?" Ellis said quietly.

"What?" Nick snapped.

"Um, y-you, uh," Ellis stuttered, racking his brain for what to say next, "you don't seem too happy. Is everythin' all right?"

Nick swallowed, still not looking at Ellis, but then, in a sarcastic tone, said, "Well, kid, my suit is filthy, my hair needs gel, I am starving, I am parched, I haven't had a cigar for what seems like an eternity," Nick paused to shoot an approaching zombie, "and, oh yeah! It's the zombie apoca- AAAAHHH!"

Nick was suddenly cut off by a Charger who dashed into him. The other three began shooting the Charger and when it hit the ground, Ellis began laughing. "Aw, sorry for laughing Nick, but that was so funny!"

Nick patted his suit, sulking. Suddenly, Rochelle started giggling, too. "I admit, it _was _pretty funny."

Coach tried to give Nick an apologetic look but couldn't help but laugh, himself.

"Haha, yeah, okay, I get it, laugh at someone who almost dies," Nick sneered, "what a great team you guys make."

Nick took a peak at Ellis, who was smiling. His bright green eyes were twinkling, even in the crepuscular light. He suddenly felt a rush going up his chest and his head spinning. He felt an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach, as if there were things were swirling around in it, as if there were… butterflies.

_Oh no. Dear God, no._

As the team proceeded, Nick constantly repeated the same thought in his head over and over again; _Ellis. No. It can't be, I can't be._

"Hold up," Coach said, making everyone stop dead in their tracks.

The silence allowed them to hear low growls. Coach took a step forward as quietly as he could, but signalling the others to stay back. He rose to his toes and saw the giant, pink Tank, waiting for any human to maul.

Before the Tank could turn to see Coach, Coach crouched ad mouthed the word to the others, "Tank."

The other three cursed to themselves and began reloading guns and getting their bombs on the ready. Coach looked around. He saw a vent with bars that looked breakable. He signalled the three to where the vent was and they immediately crawled over to where Coach was pointing at. Once they reached the vent, Coach rotated his shotgun so that the butt of the gun was facing forwards. He raised it up and then looked at the other three, nodding, as if to say, "Get ready." Coach slammed the bars, which created a hole that the four were able to fit through, however making a loud crashing sound that echoed. The four froze, praying that they didn't attract any zombies, or even worse, the Tank.

As Coach slipped into the vent, he saw a Hunter at the end, waiting to pounce the next victim in his way. However, the Hunter did not see Coach. Coach took the opportunity and shot the hooded zombie's head, letting out red mist and leaving a splatter of blood on a pipe that stuck out the wall. Suddenly, they hear the Tank's growl. It sounded angry but startled. The ground began to shake, rhythmic thumping of the Tank's steps.

"Shit," Coach whispered to the others, "he's really close."

Coach slowly peered out the vent. It was an enclosed area with a bunch of pipes looping around. It was empty except for the dead Hunter that once occupied it, but there was a door.

The four could feel the thumping coming nearer and the growling getting louder. Coach watched the door. Slowly, it began to vibrate. The room started to quake itself, dust from above began to spiral down. Then, it stopped. Right when Coach thought the thumping couldn't get any nearer, or the growling couldn't get any louder, it stopped. He looked back at the three, checking to see if they were all right.

"Can we get out now?" Nick whispered.

Coach crawled out of the vent, followed by Rochelle, Nick then Ellis.

"Shit, man," Ellis murmured, "I bet he's right outside that door."

Coach placed his hand on the doorknob, looking back at the others who had their guns on the ready. Coach reached for his Boomer bile with his other hand, taking a deep breath before twisting the doorknob. Quickly, he opened the door, throwing the bile immediately at… nothing. The four stared at the green smoke in astonishment. Did the Tank just literally disappear?

Zombies began piling up at where the bile was thrown.

"Don't shoot them, they're distracted enough anyway," Coach said, "and we'd waste our bullets."

The four of them walked out of the room, Ellis coming last. Suddenly, Ellis saw a large pink figure slowly creeping up to him.

"How the fuck-" Ellis cried, about to tell the other three off for not noticing the Tank stalking them, but was cut off by the Tank swinging an arm at him.

"Shit!" Rochelle cried, retrieving her Molotov, "Molotov coming!"

Ellis ran the opposite way of where the other three were headed, he had no choice but to do so. The Tank suddenly went up in flames in front of him. He continued shooting frantically, knowing that the team wouldn't be able to help him for a good fifteen seconds because of the flames blocking their way.

Ellis ran backwards, not paying attention to what was behind him. He suddenly felt something wet wrap around his neck and waist. He was unable to move, paralyzed by the tightness of the Smoker's tongue, and the fear of the Tank still running towards him.

"P-Please!" Ellis cried, not to the others but at the Tank. He was terrified. He already faced a few Tanks before but not like this, in a situation where he was seriously about to die.

He was in the hands of a Smoker now. The zombie clawed at him, while the Tank threw countless piles of rubble at him. Ellis didn't know what he was dying from now, the suffocation or the pain.

He flailed around helplessly, choking out occasional cries for help. Finally, the Tank dropped to his knees and behind him were the other three being chased by the horde. The first person he saw was Nick, who was determined on taking down that Smoker strangling him. The Smoker exploded, but Ellis fell to the ground. Nick ran, screaming Ellis' name. Nick's expression was the complete opposite of what it has been recently, full of worry and anguish.

Nick kneeled down beside him, yelling inaudible words that faded more and more in Ellis' head. Ellis tried to keep his eyes open, wanting to look at Nick a little longer.

_Nick? My last thoughts are about Nick, _he thought, wanting to chuckle at himself. But, why not Zoey? He likes Zoey…

Nick grabbed Ellis' shoulders and shook him violently, which woke him up a little but Ellis knew that he was still going to die.

_Nick, _he thought for what seemed to be the last time, _I really do love-_

And then he stopped thinking completely. His body lay limp and his chest stopped moving.

"Ellis," Nick said, voice quiet from the shock.

"Ellis," Nick said, louder this time, shaking him again.

"Ellis!" Nick screamed, sight blurred by the tears welling up in his eyes, "No!"

Nick buried his head into Ellis' chest, trying his best not to cry. "We were too late," he murmured.

"No we're not," Rochelle chimed, "look what I found in the pipe room."

Nick shot his head up and to his relief, saw a defibrillator in Rochelle's hands. Nick reached for it and Rochelle gave it to him without saying a word.

"Please, don't leave me like this," Nick whispered, charging up the chest panels.

Rochelle rolled Ellis' shirt up and put his arms outstretched.

"Clear," Coach said sternly.

Nick put the chest panels on Ellis' chest quickly. His body jerked up but he still wasn't up. Nick swallowed, tears starting to rise again.

"Clear," Coach said again.

Nick tried again, but still, he wasn't up. A tear slipped out and he started apologising for the things he'd done in his head. He apologised for little things, big things, things he didn't even do like; start the apocalypse, but most of all, he apologised for not telling Ellis how he felt and instead, insulted him all the time. He didn't deserve that.

"Nick," Rochelle began.

"No!" Nick yelled.

Coach took a deep breath before saying it for one last time, "Clear."

Nick closed his eyes and tried once more. The next split second seemed to be the longest, before he heard Ellis' sharp breath.

"Nick!" Ellis cried.

Coach and Rochelle cheered and high-fived, as if they didn't hear what Ellis just said. They were just happy that Ellis was alive. Nick, however, was shocked that Ellis just straight up called out his name. He stared at Ellis, wide eyed, who was also staring at him with very red cheeks.

"Ellis," Nick smiled and tackled him with a hug.

Ellis was a little shaken at first but he hugged back.

_I'm in love with Nick, _Ellis admitted to himself. All those moments between them, the random smiles Ellis would make by just the mere actions Nick would do, the little tingly sensations Ellis would feel if Nick would touch him and the moments of utter happiness when he would receive occasional praise from Nick. He had a thing for him all along.

"All right, you two," Rochelle, said in a mother-hen tone, "we should get going. And Ellis, please be careful next time."

"Yeah," Coach agreed, "lover boy over there almost lost his shit."

Rochelle and Coach started chuckling and headed to where they were originally going.

Nick blushed, helping Ellis up.

"Thank you, Nick," Ellis said.

"Don't mention it, kiddo," Nick replied, smiling at Ellis.

The two looked in each other's eyes, quiet for a moment. Nick leaned in and placed his lips on Ellis', who returned the kiss.

"Nick…" Ellis whispered.

"Sshh. Let's go," Nick said softly and winked.

Ellis nodded and grinned, following Nick to where the other two were headed.


End file.
